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Williams, a Republican who is seeking his party's nomination for governor, told the Herald-Leader on Friday he does not have the authority to unseal the depositions.

While he would not object to the statements being unsealed, he would not try to force the issue in court, he said.

However, he said he does not have the authority to release them and would not ask that they be unsealed, given that he was not the only party to the case.

Danny Butler, a Greensburg attorney who represented Williams' ex-wife, Elaine, in the divorce, was not available for comment Friday.

Expanded gambling has been a contentious issue in Kentucky for several years.

Many in the Thoroughbred industry have pushed for the addition of slot machines, video lottery terminals or casinos at racetracks in order to bring more money into the state to help the industry.

Kentucky has lost horses, breeding stock and race dates at tracks as other states have used money from expanded gambling to boost purses and incentive funds for breeders, said Patrick Neely, executive director of the Kentucky Equine Education Project.

"The clear fact is that Kentucky's horse industry is operating at a severe competitive disadvantage," Neely said.

Opponents have fought hard against expanded gambling, saying slots and casinos could feed addiction, and arguing that gambling is not a good source of money for state programs.

Many in Kentucky also oppose gambling on moral grounds.

Williams has been a key opponent of expanded gambling in the state.

Williams said casinos do not create good jobs, and that casino interests can be a negative influence in state politics.

He also said that expanded gambling at racetracks takes attention away from racing.

"I firmly believe that an expansion of gambling is not in the best interest of the people of Kentucky," Williams said Friday.

That position is not inconsistent with his personal patronage of casinos in the past, Williams said.

Williams said he has long acknowledged gambling at tracks and casinos. However, he said he had not gone to a casino for several years.

One reason was that he saw the greed of gambling interests and what they were willing to do, he said.

Williams said he did not want to contribute to the cause of those interests by spending money at casinos.